Texans vs. Jets Odds, Best Bets: Best ATS Picks for Thursday Night Football

Texans vs. Jets Betting Preview

Houston Texans Betting News, Analysis

The good news is that the Texans have found ways to win far more than they've lost this season. The bad news is that it's rarely been pretty, and the law of averages says it's nearly impossible to win every game that comes down to the final few minutes.

Houston opened the season with hard-fought wins over Indianapolis (29-27) and Chicago (19-13), then suffered a 34-7 blowout loss at Minnesota in Week 3. Since then, Stroud and Co. have won four of their last five, with close wins over the Jaguars, Bills and Colts (again), plus a 41-21 beatdown of the Patriots and a last-second loss to the Texans.

But outside of the Week 6 win over New England, the Texans have struggled to score, and now they're without not only Nico Collins, but also Stefon Diggs. RB Joe Mixon has been outstanding when healthy, with an average of just over 100 yards per game in five starts (he missed Weeks 3-5 with an ankle injury).

In Week 9, Mixon faces a Jets D that has been tough against the run in recent years, but one that has struggled this season. New York has had its moments stopping opponents' ground games, but it allowed 180 yards rushing to the Niners in Week 1, and 149 apiece to the Steelers and Bills in Weeks 6 and 7.

Mixon, who has rushed for 319 yards on 63 carries the last three weeks (just under 5.1 yards per carry), could have another big game tonight, as the Jets are without starting inside linebacker C.J. Mosley.

While the offense has been up-and-down, the Texans defense has been outstanding. Houston is third in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and it is also third in sacks, with 27. Will Anderson Jr. (7.5 sacks) -- who was just named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October -- and Danielle Hunter (5.5 sacks) lead one of the best pass rushes in the league.

It's not just those two who have gotten home, though. In fact, Anderson and Hunter are just two of 11 Texans players who have recorded a sack this season.

New York Jets Betting News, Analysis

This Jets roster, if you haven't heard, has no shortage of star power.

But thanks to penalties, issues in the kicking game and red-zone struggles (to name just a few of the self-inflicted problems plaguing this team), they are in need of a minor miracle to reach the playoffs.

Since Saleh's firing after the Week 5 loss to Minnesota in London, the Jets have outgained two of their last three foes, but lost to Buffalo and New England thanks to struggles in the red zone, particularly against the Bills.

Missed field goals have also proven costly for the Jets. They lost by double digits to both San Francisco and Pittsburgh, but have four other losses this year by a combined 13 points. Related: Greg Zuerlein, who has missed six kicks this year, was recently put on IR.

That won't solve all this team's problems, but if this team continues to find itself in close games every week, better field-goal kicking could prove pivotal.

Texans vs. Jets Prediction

Predicting what the Jets will do next is a fool's errand. And whether the Jets are involved or not, a 2-6 team laying 2 points or more against a 6-2 team screams, "stay away!"

In a matchup of two teams that find themselves in close games almost every week, we're not going out on a limb by predicting that this one will not be decided unitl the final minutes. As for who pulls it out, as tempting as it is to take the Jets to finally pull out a close one, we've been burned by this team too many times, and Stroud is too good, for us to take the Jets to win. If we have to pick a winner, give us the Texans, but barely.

Texans vs. Jets Best Bets

This will be the rare time we leave a game's spread alone. Fortunately, we do have a couple plays we still feel good about in this matchup. Starting games has not been an issue for the Jets, who have led at halftime each of the last two weeks.

At home, in a do-or-die situation, we like New York to win the first half.

The other thing we feel confident about in this game is both D-lines owning the line of scrimmage.

The Jets' overhauled O-line has not been good enough so far this year, and it will miss Alijah Vera-Tucker tonight against the outstanding Texans pass rush. On the other side of the ball, the Jets' D-line has been one of this team's few bright spots. That unit should play well again tonight against a Houston front five that has struggled to protect C.J. Stroud.

The advantageous matchups for both D-lines, plus the absence of two of Houston's top receivers, make the under a strong play.

• Under 42.5 (-110 at bet365) 1 unit
• Jets first half ML (-125 at bet365) 1 unit

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